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  • Claro Dominicana broadens cloud capabilities with Amazon Web Services

    Claro Dominicana broadens cloud capabilities with Amazon Web Services

    In a strategic move to expand its enterprise technology services and cater to the booming demand for digital advancement across the Dominican Republic, leading local telecommunications provider Claro Dominicana has announced the addition of Amazon Web Services (AWS) to its growing cloud infrastructure product lineup. This new partnership is designed to equip businesses of all scales with enhanced tools to speed up their digital transformation, drive innovation, and fuel sustainable long-term growth.

    Under the terms of the alliance, organizations operating in the region will gain direct access to AWS’s comprehensive suite of industry-leading cloud services, while retaining the localized, on-the-ground support that only a domestic technology partner can deliver. Unlike generic international cloud access, this collaboration pairs AWS’s global technological capabilities with Claro’s deep understanding of local business needs, filling a key gap for Dominican companies seeking flexible, scalable digital infrastructure.

    AWS’s cloud ecosystem covers a wide range of critical business capabilities, including secure cloud storage, managed relational and non-relational databases, flexible cloud networking, enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions, cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools, and advanced big data analytics services. One of the core advantages of the AWS platform is its ability to let companies dynamically scale their computing resources up or down to match real-time demand. This flexibility enables businesses to deploy new software applications much faster than traditional on-premise setups, while eliminating the need for organizations to build, maintain, and update their own physical server infrastructure, cutting both capital and operational costs.

    The integration of AWS into Claro’s service stack complements the provider’s existing cloud offerings, which include its in-house Claro Cloud Enterprise platform and a partnership with Microsoft Azure. By adding AWS to its portfolio, Claro now offers businesses a wider range of choices to address their unique digital modernization goals, whether they are looking to update legacy applications, migrate existing on-premise workloads to the cloud, or optimize their overall technology spending and resource allocation.

    Claro has stressed that it will provide end-to-end specialized support for customers throughout their entire cloud adoption journey. This full-spectrum support starts with initial assessments of a business’s unique needs, moves through custom solution design, implementation, and ongoing management, and continues with regular performance optimization to ensure the cloud environment continues to align with evolving business goals.

    According to Claro’s official statement, the unique combination of AWS’s cutting-edge global cloud technology and Claro’s local market expertise is positioned to help Dominican businesses get the maximum return on their technology investments, while moving forward more quickly with their digital transformation initiatives. This partnership is expected to strengthen the local digital ecosystem, making advanced cloud infrastructure more accessible to small, medium, and large enterprises across the country, and supporting broader economic growth through increased digital innovation.

  • Disney Cruise Line makes Dominican debut in Puerto Plata

    Disney Cruise Line makes Dominican debut in Puerto Plata

    The Caribbean cruise tourism landscape is gaining a major new player in one of its fastest-growing hubs, as Disney Cruise Line makes its long-awaited debut in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. This month marks the first time two of the entertainment giant’s cruise vessels will dock at the region’s Taíno Bay terminal, adding one of the world’s most recognizable family-focused brands to Puerto Plata’s growing lineup of cruise partners.

    The first vessel to arrive is the *Disney Dream*, a well-established cruise ship that entered service in 2011 and carries roughly 2,778 passengers on this itinerary. Two days after the *Disney Dream*’s port call, the *Disney Destiny*—Disney’s newest next-generation cruise vessel—will follow, bringing an additional 2,787 passengers to the Dominican coast. Combined, the two inaugural calls will bring more than 5,500 visitors to Puerto Plata, injecting immediate economic activity into local tourism-dependent businesses.

    Disney’s entry into Puerto Plata comes as the Dominican Republic aggressively expands its foothold in the competitive Caribbean cruise market, with Puerto Plata positioned as the central anchor of this growth strategy. Official data from the Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM) illustrates just how critical the region has become to the country’s cruise sector: this October alone, 43 total cruise ships are scheduled to dock across the nation’s three purpose-built cruise terminals, bringing an estimated 173,983 passengers to Dominican shores.

    Of those October arrivals, 20 ships and 77,171 passengers are scheduled for Taíno Bay, while 18 ships and 76,834 passengers will dock at Amber Cove—Puerto Plata’s second major cruise terminal. The country’s third terminal, located at Cabo Rojo in Pedernales, is set to welcome five ships and 19,978 passengers this month. When combined, Puerto Plata’s two terminals are on track to receive nearly 89% of all cruise passengers arriving in the Dominican Republic in October, cementing the region’s status as the nation’s undisputed cruise tourism hub.

    This rapid growth is not a one-month anomaly—it reflects a steady, year-over-year upward trend that has reshaped the Dominican tourism economy. Data from the first eight months of the current year shows Taíno Bay has already welcomed 800,680 cruise passengers, while Amber Cove has hosted 700,578 cruise visitors. APORDOM projects that annual passenger volumes at Taíno Bay alone will hit roughly 1.22 million by the end of 2026.

    At the national level, the Dominican Republic’s cruise sector growth tells a similarly positive story. In 2025, the country welcomed 2.77 million cruise passengers across 922 vessel calls. Central Bank of the Dominican Republic data shows that during the first two months of 2026, total cruise arrivals hit 745,179—an increase of more than 65,000 passengers compared to the same period in 2025.

    With Disney Cruise Line’s arrival, Puerto Plata’s cruise market now features one of the most diverse lineups in the Caribbean, joining existing major operators including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, Celebrity, Princess, Virgin and Holland America. Unlike many other cruise lines that target a broad range of traveler demographics, Disney brings a uniquely powerful family-focused brand built around its iconic characters, blockbuster films and immersive storytelling. The *Disney Destiny*, as part of Disney’s newest fleet generation, incorporates cutting-edge immersive themes from across the Disney entertainment ecosystem, including Pixar and Marvel properties, alongside classic Disney narratives.

    For Puerto Plata, the value of Disney’s debut extends far beyond the 5,500 passengers arriving this month. The new port calls open a unique opportunity to showcase the region’s natural attractions, local cultural experiences and small businesses to a massive new audience of potential future visitors. As cruise traffic continues to climb year over year, local tourism stakeholders now face the core challenge of transforming short one-day port calls into memorable, immersive experiences that encourage cruise travelers to return for extended multi-day vacations in the future.

    Ultimately, Disney Cruise Line’s first call at Taíno Bay is far more than a routine port visit for two vessels. It marks a major milestone in the Dominican Republic’s expansion of its cruise tourism sector, diversifies Puerto Plata’s brand offerings, and reinforces the city’s standing as one of the leading maritime tourism gateways in the entire Caribbean region.

  • Dominican airlines welcome Abinader’s aviation fuel adjustment

    Dominican airlines welcome Abinader’s aviation fuel adjustment

    In a move set to reshape the Dominican Republic’s aviation sector, the national airline industry association has publicly praised President Luis Abinader’s latest policy decision to introduce a regulated temperature adjustment for aviation turbine fuel, commonly known as avtur. The Asociacion Dominicana de Lineas Aéreas (ADLA), the leading industry body representing the country’s airline operators, describes the reform as a critical milestone that will strengthen the sector’s long-term competitiveness.

    The regulatory change did not emerge spontaneously: it directly responds to a formal policy proposal ADLA submitted to national authorities back in March 2025. The association had long pushed for equal regulatory treatment between avtur and other liquid fuels sold across the Dominican Republic, a request that has now been granted by the government.

    Beyond welcoming the president’s approval, ADLA also extended formal gratitude to Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, as well as his ministry’s entire technical team. The new framework not only codifies the temperature adjustment for avtur but also adds aviation fuel to the weekly public fuel price announcements published by the government, bringing greater transparency to the market.

    Omar A. Chahin, president of ADLA, emphasized that the long-sought adjustment will create far fairer operating conditions for all airlines serving the Dominican Republic. He also reaffirmed that the policy recognizes the outsized economic importance of air connectivity, which serves as a foundational pillar for the country’s key tourism, trade and investment sectors.

    To understand the significance of the change, it is necessary to examine the long-standing inequity in fuel pricing standards. Across global markets, liquid fuel commerce almost universally uses a 15°C reference temperature to calculate standardized volumes, accounting for the fact that fuel volume expands and contracts with temperature fluctuations. In the Dominican Republic, this temperature adjustment has long been applied to common fuels including gasoline, diesel and kerosene to offset volumetric differences caused by temperature shifts. Until now, however, aviation fuel was excluded from this adjustment, placing airlines at a structural cost disadvantage.

    ADLA stressed that the reform carries particular weight at a time of persistent volatility in global crude oil markets. Fuel already accounts for one of the largest single operating expenses for airlines, a burden that has grown heavier amid rising international oil prices. With the new temperature adjustment in place, avtur will now be priced according to its actual volume at the standard 15°C reference point, aligning the Dominican Republic’s fuel pricing practices with those common across other regional markets.

    Looking ahead, ADLA confirmed that it will maintain ongoing collaborative work with national regulatory authorities to ensure the adjustment is rolled out consistently across the entire avtur distribution chain. The association’s ultimate goal is to guarantee that the cost benefits of the reform are fully passed through to the airline operators that serve the Dominican Republic’s travel and trade markets.

  • ABRSC honours Ambassador Dorbrene O’Marde for distinguished leadership in reparatory justice

    ABRSC honours Ambassador Dorbrene O’Marde for distinguished leadership in reparatory justice

    ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA – In a moving ceremony held during the Africa-CARICOM Gala Dinner on October 3, 2026, the Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission (ABRSC) surprised its long-serving chair, Ambassador Dorbrene O’Marde, with a distinguished honor award celebrating his decades of transformative leadership and unwavering commitment to the global reparatory justice movement.

    The decision to honor O’Marde was unanimous among ABRSC members, who highlighted that his visionary, steady guidance has propelled the cause of reparations for historical injustices against people of African descent not only across Antigua and Barbuda, but throughout the entire Caribbean region and beyond. For the commission, the award was far more than a ceremonial gesture; it was a public expression of gratitude to a leader who has dedicated most of his professional life to advancing truth, dignity, redress and accountability for the harms of chattel slavery.

    The inscription on the honor reflects the scope of O’Marde’s impact: “In recognition of your visionary leadership, unwavering commitment and distinguished service to the cause of reparatory justice. Your steadfast pursuit of truth, justice, dignity and redress has strengthened the reparations movement and created an enduring legacy for generations to come. Ubuntu — ‘I am because we are’.”

    As a respected Caribbean intellectual, cultural advocate, writer and prominent regional voice, O’Marde’s contributions to the reparations movement extend well beyond his leadership of the national commission. He has long been at the forefront of regional and global conversations centered on historical accountability, the restoration of African cultural identity, and demands for reparatory action from former colonial powers. Under his direction, the ABRSC has prioritized expanding grassroots engagement with the reparations cause, working to move the conversation beyond institutional and academic spaces to win the buy-in and understanding of ordinary citizens, particularly young people who will carry the movement forward into the future.

    In addition to the honor award, O’Marde received a limited-edition 90th Anniversary English Harbour Rum as a supplementary gesture of appreciation, a tribute that also honors Antigua and Barbuda’s unique national cultural heritage.

    The ceremony itself was anchored in the South African principle of Ubuntu that has guided the commission’s work from its inception, a philosophy that emphasizes collective identity and shared responsibility—a value that O’Marde has woven into every aspect of his leadership. Commission members noted that O’Marde has consistently centered collective action, framing the fight for reparations as a shared struggle rooted in honoring the sacrifices of enslaved African ancestors through ongoing, deliberate action.

    The ABRSC reaffirmed its deep pride in O’Marde’s leadership, expressing enduring gratitude for his continued wisdom, guidance and service to the cause. Commission representatives emphasized that his legacy stretches far beyond the policy and advocacy wins the movement has already secured; it lives in the generations of young activists he continues to inspire to carry on the pursuit of justice, dignity and full reparations.

  • Aanpak wateroverlast en kustbescherming prioriteit in 2027

    Aanpak wateroverlast en kustbescherming prioriteit in 2027

    The Ministry of Public Works and Spatial Planning (OWRO) of Suriname has outlined its 2027 policy priorities centered on advancing the country’s updated National Drainage Master Plan 2024, with systemic upgrades to water management infrastructure and coastal protection topping its agenda, according to the department’s 2027 Financial Plan.

    Under the multi-year master plan, the 2027 implementation phase will target critical upgrades to core water management assets across the country. Key work streams include modernizing aging pumping stations and locks, expanding the country’s water storage capacity to mitigate flood risk, and carrying out systematic maintenance and upgrades to primary drainage canals and outfall channels. The ministry is also prioritizing the integration of automation systems into water management operations to improve response efficiency and reduce long-term operational costs. As a first step, authorities will conduct a national survey to map and prioritize high-need main drainage canals and channels for future upgrades.

    Coastal protection will remain a permanent, structural priority for the ministry, consistent with its core mandate to safeguard Suriname’s shorelines and sustainable water management. Suriname’s low-lying coastal geography leaves the country particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and coastal erosion, impacts that have accelerated amid global climate change in recent decades.

    Notably, the current published section of the 2027 Financial Plan does not include specific budget allocations for individual projects, a detailed timeline for implementation, or a list of priority regions that will receive the first round of infrastructure investment. Additional details are expected to be released at a later stage of the budget approval process.

    Water management upgrades form just one part of OWRO’s broader 2027 infrastructure and public works agenda. Beyond water-related projects, the ministry has earmarked resources for structural repairs and routine maintenance of the country’s transportation network, including public roads, bridges, piers, and drainage gutters. Other core priorities for the coming year include improving solid waste management systems, advancing evidence-based spatial planning across the country, and rolling out new measures to boost road traffic safety for all residents.

  • Bolsonaro Beats Poll Projections as Brazil Heads to Lula Runoff

    Bolsonaro Beats Poll Projections as Brazil Heads to Lula Runoff

    On Sunday, Brazil’s first-round presidential voting concluded with no candidate clearing the 50% vote threshold needed for an outright win, setting the stage for a high-stakes October 25 runoff between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

    Together, the two leading candidates captured more than 92% of the total first-round vote, in a result that defied pre-election forecasting: Flávio Bolsonaro far outstripped poll projections, netting a nearly four-point advantage over the first-round performance his father posted in the 2022 election. Running on a platform centered on public safety and economic policy, Bolsonaro secured victory in two of Brazil’s most electorally significant states: São Paulo and Minas Gerais.

    Notably, Minas Gerais holds a decades-long track record of backing the eventual winner of every presidential election held since Brazil’s return to democracy in 1989. For Lula, the first-round results carried clear warning signs: his vote share in Minas Gerais dropped to 43.21%, down from 48.3% he won in the state in 2022. The incumbent also failed to build the commanding lead in Brazil’s Northeast, his traditional political stronghold, that his campaign had targeted ahead of the first round.

    The outcome of the upcoming runoff will likely be shaped by two key blocs of voters: the supporters of the eight minor candidates eliminated in the first round, who collectively captured 7.82% of the vote, the vast majority of whom lean center-right or right, and the roughly 21% of eligible Brazilian voters who abstained from Sunday’s voting. Bolsonaro enters the second round with significant momentum, as his right-wing party and its ideological allies captured a large number of Senate seats and won several key state governorship races across the country.

    International backing for Bolsonaro has already come from two high-profile conservative leaders: former U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei. But observers have noted that Trump has kept a noticeably low profile in his support for the candidate recently. Peruvian political analyst Farid Kahhat told CNN this deliberate restraint is likely a strategic move.

    “They’ve noticed that in Brazil, [external interference] might not work the same way as it does in Honduras or Colombia,” Kahhat explained.

    CNN’s political analysis notes that a Flávio Bolsonaro victory in the runoff would deliver a key ideological ally to Trump in Latin America’s largest nation, should Trump win a second U.S. presidential term. Such an outcome would also potentially strengthen the United States’ position as it works to counter China’s growing diplomatic and economic influence across the Western Hemisphere.

  • New Barbuda Port Expected to Support Direct Cargo Shipments

    New Barbuda Port Expected to Support Direct Cargo Shipments

    Plans for a new port facility on the Caribbean island of Barbuda are moving forward, with development leaders projecting that the completed infrastructure will open new opportunities for direct cargo shipments to and from the island. Currently, much of Barbuda’s cargo is routed through neighboring Antigua before being transferred to smaller vessels for the final leg of the journey. The new port is designed to eliminate this extra step, reducing transportation costs and shortening delivery times for goods moving into and out of the country. This infrastructure upgrade is expected to support local economic growth by strengthening Barbuda’s supply chain connections to regional and global trade networks, while also creating local construction jobs during the development phase.

  • LIVE: Launch of Missing Person’s Alert System

    LIVE: Launch of Missing Person’s Alert System

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  • CaribNOG 32 to focus on Caribbean’s digital resilience

    CaribNOG 32 to focus on Caribbean’s digital resilience

    This week, hundreds of Caribbean technology and digital infrastructure professionals will converge on Willemstad, Curaçao, for the 32nd meeting of the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG), an event focused on translating regional digital infrastructure discussions into actionable progress and building long-term digital resilience across the Caribbean. Running from October 7 to 9 at the Courtyard by Marriott, the three-day gathering brings together a cross-sector cohort of stakeholders including network engineers, internet service providers, data centre operators, cloud service managers, cybersecurity experts, government regulators and digital policy makers. The event will combine plenary discussions, hands-on technical training, site visits and collaborative knowledge sharing to address the Caribbean’s most pressing digital connectivity challenges.

    The conference follows CaribNOG’s 31st meeting held in Jamaica this past April, which centered on raising awareness of the critical role that robust internet infrastructure plays in the Caribbean’s social and economic stability. For the Curaçao iteration, organizers have shifted focus to concrete, practical steps that stakeholders across the region can take to reinforce that infrastructure, according to Bevil Wooding, CaribNOG co-founder and Director of Caribbean Affairs at the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN).

    “Digital resilience is fundamental to the security, reliability and accessibility of the electronic services we have come to depend on for communications, commerce and public service delivery,” Wooding explained. The event’s technical program will dive into deep dives on the core systems that underpin all regional digital services, including satellite communication links, transcontinental submarine cables, regional data centres and the power grids that keep these systems running continuously. Attendees will also get an exclusive opportunity to tour Curaçao’s major data centre facilities and international submarine cable landing stations to view key regional infrastructure firsthand.

    Curaçao was selected as the host for this pivotal meeting in large part due to its already established role as a leading hub for Caribbean digital connectivity. The island hosts AMS-IX Caribbean, the regional branch of the world-renowned Amsterdam Internet Exchange, and boasts a growing, interconnected data centre ecosystem that serves more than 14 million users across the region, according to Giovanni King, CEO of BlueNAP Americas and Chairman of the Caribbean Datacenter Association. King emphasized that advancing the region’s digital connectivity cannot be achieved through isolated action by individual island nations or private operators.

    “The next phase of Caribbean connectivity cannot be addressed island by island or operator by operator,” King said. He added that long-term goals of regional digital sovereignty and resilience must be embedded into corporate boardroom strategy, updated national regulatory frameworks and core national development planning to deliver meaningful progress.

    Beyond technical infrastructure discussions, the conference will also tackle broader policy and governance issues shaping the Caribbean’s digital future. Executives, regulators and policy makers will hold dedicated sessions on digital governance, building public digital trust, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on network management and cybersecurity. A full day of immersive, hands-on technical training will be offered to attendees, covering three high-priority areas: routing security, AI-assisted network administration, and expanding local interconnection between regional networks. Stephen Lee, CEO of regional managed services provider ArkiTechs, noted that the practical training modules are designed to help attendees turn high-level conference discussions into tangible changes they can implement within their own organizations when they return home.

    The Curaçao meeting also marks a key institutional transition for CaribNOG itself. After 15 years operating as an entirely volunteer-run community network, the organization is moving to a more formalized institutional structure, adding dedicated program management, structured special project teams and expanded research capacity. CaribNOG leadership says this structural change reflects the growing importance of network operator groups as collaborative spaces where private operators, regulators and policy makers can co-develop shared solutions to regional digital challenges. This Curaçao gathering will be the final meeting held under CaribNOG’s original volunteer-led format, making the event a milestone for the organization as well as the region.

    CaribNOG 32 receives sponsorship and support from a range of leading regional and global digital organizations, including ARIN, the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet Society, Packet Clearing House, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, Connected Caribbean, the Caribbean Datacenter Association, ArkiTechs and AMS-IX. Registration for the event is open to the general public and free of charge, though all attendees must complete pre-registration to secure access. Full event details and the complete conference agenda are available through the official CaribNOG website.

  • LIVE: ERC Press Conference 5th October 2026

    LIVE: ERC Press Conference 5th October 2026

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